Will the Climate Change in the Senate?

earthIf you have been following the climate change debate in the U.S. Congress at all you know that there is little agreement, little progress and, somehow, little hope. Everyone has a reason why not to vote for it- Republicans have business interests and global warming denial. Moderate Democrats have a slew of concerns around whether the climate change bill in question does enough in the right places- even envrionmentalists get into the fray questioning whether the bill is doing any good at all.

The House legislation basically calls for a 17% cut in emissions by 2020 from 2005 levels and implements a cap and trade system. And then there is the Copenhagen Summit, coming quickly and demanding, in its diplomatic and subtle way, that we have a national decision, a commitment to stand on, a diplomatic starting point to walk into the room with.

And then there is health care reform- stealing media space and attention in Washington D.C. What’s the climate to do? Hope for the best? Well, at least it can count on Democrats to support the climate change debate.

Right?

"We're not real close,” said Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

So, maybe not.

According to Brown, no bill that does not guard U.S. goods prices raised by the cost of the climate-protecting demands of the legislation against imports will not pass the Senate. But even beyond sticky details like this, many in Washington are saying there is little hope that a climate change bill will be voted on or passed before the end of the year, let alone before the Copenhagen Summit.

Senator Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat, told Reuters that many of the Washington lawmakers are anxious about the healthcare reform legislation and that is not allowing thought or time for the Climate Change bill.

Obama is strongly behind both bills- healthcare reform and climate change.

I shudder to think what the political climate will be like if we send diplomats to the Copenhagen Summit without a clear bottom-line on climate issues. How can we walk in with our heads high and try to debate, demand and deliver with the rest of the countries of the world without having agreement or at least commitment within our own country. It’s not important enough? That seems to be the message. We need to have this in place. How is this not in front of healthcare reform in line for voting?

Revealing the horrible international perspective that Washington takes on the importance of climate diplomacy, the fact that it is behind healthcare reform, and possibly will be moved to behind financial regulation legislation just shows where our priorities are.

Democrats hold 60 seats in the Senate and we are dealing with doubt about the climate change bill passing- not to mention the healthcare reform bill.

Why the unknown? Basically, moderates. They want emissions cuts but no cap and trade. There is a bill waiting to be voted on that is just about cutting emissions. Not controversial, really, as most of the controversy is about the cap and trade.

It looks dim.